The tragic past
by Rio storm
Summary: A sad story about the Once-ler's Aunt Grizelda and Uncle Ubb and why they didn't have any children. (story is a lot better than the summary)


It was a typical day, a Thursday morning, The Once-ler's mother was still telling him what to do and how to act, while Brett and Chet were busy cutting down trees, yep everything was normal but not for Ubb and Grizelda this was a day that they hated.

November 19th. This was the 8th year since their baby girl: Zoe had died and their 10th year since the death of their son: Kyle. Grizelda had been pregnant with Kyle for 6 months, as he was born premature; somehow he survived. He had been born small but had the biggest blue eyes and a small tuff of brown hair.

He had learnt how to walk at an early age two he was 18 months when he took his first steps. His first word came when he was 11 months. He would run and chase bees and would often cuddle his toy bear as his older cousins would put on puppet shows.

Life for Kyle was amazing and Ubb and Grizelda couldn't have been happier but life had taken a turn for the worst. Kyle had just turned 2 and 4 months later he died of hyperthermia.

The whole family mourned Kyle's death but soon where full of Joy when Grizelda had fallen pregnant again, this time they had a girl just 3 months after Kyle's death. Zoe was the cutest baby that you would ever see. She had dark chocolate eyes that would melt your soul, she had long orange hair, she had a button nose and soft pink lips and rosy cheeks. She was just as beautiful on the inside as she was out.

She had often had help Brett learn karate, Chett learn how to treat things with care and had encouraged her cousin Once to learn guitar.

When she had turned 5 she had become interested in animal and would help he father feed the pigs in the morning and would help brush the baby fouls. If she wasn't doing that or helping her cousins she and her mom would read stories together: Wind in the Willows, The Children of the cherry tree farm and What Katy did at school. Her Aunt Isabella would brush her hair and give her beautiful hairstyles.

Zoe had been told about her brother and in honour of him, she had carved his name in to the old oak tree that all the kids would play under. The carving said: "Kyle+ Zoe= BFFs". She would always run out of the class and drag her cousins back home, where she would receive cookies and milk.

But one day she didn't arrive at her cousins' classroom, instead it was their mom; she had a look of melancholy. The only words she said where "Boys get your stuff and get in the car." The drive home had been long and quiet. When they got home their uncle Ubb just stared at the kitchen table and refused to make eye contact.

"How is she?" Isabella asked him, he shook his head "Crying, what else can she do?" was his simple reply, she nodded her head. "Boys go to your rooms and do your homework." Isabella walked off into Grizelda and Ubb's room.

Two days later was Zoe's funeral, she had been swinging on the tyre swing at school, when the rope snapped and she fell. The fall had broken her neck and by the time they got her to the doctors; she was dead.

Grizelda sighed as she finished tying her hair up. Ubb entered their bedroom and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Morning love" his voice was sad as were his eyes. "Morning Ubbie" the two sat in silence, not saying a word.

Ubb broke the silence "I never imagined this to happen to us" She looked at him and replied "well not to you but… it would happen to me." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, she sighed. "As the second born I was always told what to do, how to act. Isabella would treat me the way she treats Once, my mother was strict and would never allow me to play games as they were not girly, my dad left when I was four, and ever since I turned ten, if anything could go wrong it would happen to me. I guess that because of my bad luck it's my fault that we lost Kyle and…Zoe."

Ubb didn't move but he spoke gently "Your right, it is your fault… your fault that you had to be so beautiful that we ended up having them." Grizelda blushed "maybe it was your fault for being so handsome." The two shared a long gentle kiss.

They broke apart and went outside to go help make the Thneeds. Ubb and the twins went off to chop down trees. Once was in his tent sewing them. Isabella walked up to Grizelda "Where have you been? I had to deal with that orange creature myself!"

Grizelda sighed "Sorry Isabella" she mumbled. Isabella looked at her sister and shook her head "Grizelda! You know that I am like mom… I hate mumbling!" Grizelda shook her head "And I care because?" She walked away leaving he older sister stunned. Isabella watched her walk off. '_What is bothering you Grizzie?' _

At lunch time both Ubb and Grizelda ate fast and left, however Isabella managed to track down Ubb "What is going on with and Grizelda! You're not fighting are you?" she may be cruel but that doesn't mean that she wants her sister to be sad.

Ubb looked at her and sighed "It's just today is a sad day for us…Today is the day that we lost them." Isabella sighed. "I should have known, thanks for telling me and just so you know there is not a day that goes by that I wish the past was different." She walked off in hopes of finding her sister.

She walked into the bedroom but there was no sign of her. A little book on the bookshelf caught her attention though. She picked it up and opened it. The first page read:

_It's all my fault dad left. My mom hates me, my friends are bitches and Isabella treats me like her personal nanny! What did I do to deserve this? I mean the fact that my mom keeps telling me that if I were pretty like Isabella, then dad would still be here! My 'friends' judge every move you do and my own sister keeps telling me that I need to dress this way , dress that way, act that way! I am sick and tired of it! Luckily I have Ubb the only one who accepts me for me. He has come up with a plan so that when are school breaks up for spring break we are going to run away! I can't wait."_

"What are you doing in here?" Isabella turned around to see Grizelda and out of habit she counteracted it "Why the hell does your diary say that you and Ubb were going to run away!?" Grizelda looked taken back. Isabella walked forward "Why…why would you ever think that I would just let you go like that?" "Why didn't you tell me how you felt?" "How could…" Grizelda grew agitated. "ISABELLA! Enough…I'm sorry that I never told you but that was when I was sixteen!" Her sister calmed down. "I know… you were just a baby."

Isabella and Grizelda remained quiet for five minutes, Isabella looked at her sister " I know that this is a sad day for you and Ubb. I just want you to know…that no matter what I will ALWAYS be there for you." "Thanks Bella and I will always be there for you." The two sisters did something that they had never done before: they shared a hug.

"Griz, I know that I will never feel the same amount of pain that you have felt since…the accident, I know this is hard for you…I want you and Ubb to take the day off!" she spoke in a sweet voice. Grizelda looked at her "you're serious?" She nodded her head. Grizelda smiled and left. Grizelda and Ubb went to the quiet part of the forest and just spent some closer time.

Isabella sat in their RV, looking at two family photos; one with her nephew Kyle in and the other with her niece Zoe. She noticed something in both photos: in the exact same spot, a shadow of a man but not the shadows of those in picture. Isabella quickly took out the current family photo but this time there was no shadow. Just to make sure that her suspicion was right she took a a family photo out of the time when there were no kids, just as she thought there was no shadow! .She gasped realizing that someone was spying on them!

**AN: What could this mean? Why did he only appear in the photos with Kyle and Zoe in? Stay tuned for the sequel : A journey to the past is a journey to the future.**


End file.
